Call to . . . um . . . Something

Advertising is the nudge that brings a new customer to your door. They may not have a thought in their head about your business, but once they see your ad they realize that something has to happen. The ad plants the seed that grows into your revenue.

Aside from the easy fertilizer=advertising joke, it's important to carefully prepare your advertising plans to ensure that your potential customer is properly enticed. You've got to get your message out, but most importantly, you've got to give them a call to action.

When you look at a "Got Milk?" ad, the call to action is to remind you that you need to get milk. When McDonald's asks, "Are You Mac Enough?" while showing a picture of a giant Big Mac, Icy Coke and pile of fries, the call to action is to get your tummy rumbling. When you see a real estate sign in front of a house and it says "Call 555-5555", the call to action is for you to call the real estate company and ask about the house.

It seems simple. Make sure that every ad has a way to lead the customer back to you. The problem is that so many people think about advertising as brand building - which it is - that they forget about business building. You need to keep your eye not only on how your potential customers feel about you, but also on making those potential customers contact you.

We think we can help. AdSymetrix is all about call to action. We're focused on helping small business focus their plans to get the most out of their advertising. Over the next few weeks, we'll have loads of information and tips in this space about advertising, building your brand, and most importantly, building your business. We're here to help.